Advent 2020 (day 12 of 26)

December 10, 2020 (Thursday)

 

Day 11 of the 26 days of Advent.

 

I’ve always been intrigued about the “magi” who traveled to see Jesus. Who were these men? Don’t ask, I’m not covering them today… just curious about them.

 

I wonder what they left behind and if the trip was a risk or a sacrifice. It seems to me that the Christmas story demanded sacrifice. Mary gave up her reputation and risked humiliation, possibly death. Joseph gave up his reputation as either behaving badly before marriage or being humiliated by another man. The couple had to leave home and live in a foreign country for years. I just wonder if the “magi” had to risk or sacrifice anything.

 

When we encounter Jesus, EVERYTHING changes. Jesus changes how we think, what we do, and even who we are as we are “born again.” Paul had such an experience. He wrote, “I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.” [Philippians 3:7 NLT] For Paul encountering Jesus and being “born again” meant leaving behind his social status and respect.

 

When Paul met Jesus he found something more valuable than anything the world can offer. “But even beyond that, I consider everything a loss in comparison with the superior value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have lost everything for him, but what I lost I think of as sewer trash, so that I might gain Christ.” [Philippians 3:8 CEB] Paul used a “swear” word, by our standards, when comparing what the world has with what Jesus gives. The “sewer trash” is translated “dung” in the King James.

 

All the goodies and social standing Paul left behind, he viewed as a steaming pile of dung. Paul then went on to explain, “For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.” [Philippians 3:9c NLT] We can work for all sorts of good things in this world. Ultimately, none of it matters if we miss God’s transforming grace and spend eternity in Hell.

 

Paul continued, “The righteousness that I have comes from knowing Christ, the power of his resurrection, and the participation in his sufferings. It includes being conformed to his death.” [Philippians 3:10 CEB] Knowing Christ, check. Did someone say power? Give me a double scoop please. Suffering? Wait, what… do I have too? Ummm death? Are you crazy Paul?

 

Jesus said something similar: “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” [Matthew 16:24 – 26 ESV]

 

Which brings me to a suspicion. The reason people do not follow Christ is not because they do not believe. I think people do not follow Christ because they know what it will cost and are unwilling to pay the price. But “price” is a matter of perspective. 

 

Perspective: the streets of heaven are paved with gold. Why are we pursuing pavement? What was that profit again? Nothing but a steaming pile of dung or if you are lucky, pavement.